Lord David Cameron has urged Israel to “think with head as well as heart” and not retaliate to Iran’s missile attack.

The foreign secretary said the nation needed to be “smart as well as tough” and think about the consequences of escalating violence in the region.

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He told Sky News: “I totally understand those in Israel who want to see more (action), but I think this is a time to think with head as well as heart and to be smart as well tough.

“And I think the smart thing to do is actually to recognise that Iran’s attack was a failure and we want to keep the focus on that, on Iran’s malign influence and actually pivot to looking at what’s happening in Gaza.”

Israel said Iran launched 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and at least 120 ballistic missiles in an assault that set off air raid sirens across the country on Saturday night.

The attack was over by Sunday morning and Israel reopened its air space, having said it had intercepted along with its allies 99% of the projectiles launched towards its territory.

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Lord Cameron echoed US President Joe Biden’s comments that Israel should “take the win” – noting that there could have been “thousands of casualties” had the attack been successful,

He said the UK, which shot down some Iranian drones, would help again if Tehran launched another attack.

But he stressed: “We’re trying to avoid escalation and the action we took alongside the Americans and others clearly has helped to stop that escalation because the Iran attack was an almost total failure.”

The plea for de-escalation comes after Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said the country would “collect a price” for Iran’s action.

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